Combination lock-switch.



s. s. WARD.

COMBINATION LOCK SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED APR.21. 19!].

1,260,607. v r Patented Mar.26,1918.

SAMUEL S. WARD, F VIENNA, SOUTH DAKG'lAk s r oases.

COMB1NAT10N LocK-swrrcrr.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

Application filed April 21, 1917. Serial No. 163,613.

lock switch and has for its primary object to provide a device of this character which is primarily designed for use upon automobiles for the purpose of preventing the operating circuits for the batteries and generator being closed by unauthorized persons.

It is also an'importz'mt object of the invention to provide a very simply constructed switch of the above type, wherein the combination, the key to which is required in order that the circuit may be closed, can be easily changed.

It is .a further gene al object of the invention to provide a combination lock switch which is highly serviceable and convenient in practical use and can be manufactured at relatively small cost.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrange ment of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a switch and easing or housing therefor, constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of my, invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line of Fig. 1; V

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the circuit closing'disks; and

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view through one of the rotatable disks.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 designates a casing, preferably constructed of sheet metal, which may be of any suitable form and size. switch mechanism is arranged between the spaced end walls 6 and 7 respectively. To the end wall 6, upon the edge thereof, a sheet metal plate 8 is securely fixed, and is provided upon its ends. with the arms 9 disposed in diametrically opposed relation and Within this casing, the

extending longitudinally within the casing 5. The terminals of these arms are suitably fixed to the other end wall 7.

The end wall 7 is provided with an opening in which a disk 10 is rotatably mounted, stud disk being formed with a central openmg. said opening and is provided with a rectangular inner end portion 12 and with a knurled head 13 on its outer end. A disk 14 of suitable insulating material is engaged upon the inner square end of said sleeve.

A second rotatable sleeve 15 is mounted within the sleeve 11 and'projects beyond the square end of the latter sleeve. A disk of insulating material 16 is engaged upon this projecting end of said sleeve. A third sleeve 17 is disposed through the sleeve 15 and is supported at one end upon the shank or bolt 18 fixed in the wall 6, and upon this latter sleeve a disk 19 of insulatin material is engaged. The sleeves 15 and 17 are also each provided with a knurled head indicated at 26 and 21 respectively.

In the disk 14:, a metal contact pin 22 is secured, the ends of the pin being flush with the opposite side faces of the disk. A. similar pin 23 is also fixed in the disk 19. The intermediate disk 16 has an arcuate slot 23 therein, and a metal circuit closing plate 24 also of arcuate form is pivotally engaged intermediate of its ends upon a radially disposed pin 25 fixed in the disk. The terminals of theplate 94: are outwardly bent or curved as in'dicated at 26, for sliding contact with the opposed faces of the respective disks 14 and 19. A wire spring 27 bears against one end of the plate 24 to yieldingly urge'the same to an angular posltion with respect to the disk 16 and maintain the terminals of the plate in frictional contact with the faces of the adjacent disk. The side faces of the disk 16 are recessed at the relatively opposite ends of the slot 22 therein, as indicated at 28.

The inner face of the end wall G is recessed, as at 29, and one end of a circuit closing plate 'is fixed to this recessed face of A sleeve 11 is rotatably mounted in the plate by means of the bolt indi-.

cated at'"31, to which the ground wire 32 is be understood, of

m an! rotatably mounted in the opening of the plate 7, spaced, resilient, circuit closing lates 33 are fixed at one of theirends, the rec ends of said plates being normally spaced from'the disk and offset, as at 34, for bearing engagement against the opposed face of the disk 14:. To the fixed ends of these circuit closing plates, the wires 35 and 36 leading from the batteries and generator respectively, are connected. The disk 10 is provided upon its periphery with an outwardly projecting finger piece 36 movable in a slot provided in the top Wall of the casing 5, whereby either one of the resilient plates 33 may be engaged with the contact pin fixed in the disk 14. The side wall of the "casing'is likewise provided with a suitablefopening through which the operating heads 13, 20 and 21 project. Each of the disks 1 1,16 and 19 is provided with teeth 37 on its periphery which may be appropriately numbered or otherwise designated, one of the teeth being of relatively great width, as indicated at 37. When the latter teeth on the disks are in alinement with each other, the contact pins in the disks 1% and 19 are disposed in diametrically opposite relation, while the. ends of the circuit closing plate 24 on the disk 16 is engaged at its ends with the first named disk at a point in spaced relation to the contact pins. The operator may now, set the combination by turning the disks 16 and 19 upon their respective axes to dispose the circuit closing plate 24 in any desired relation to the contact pins in the other disk.

To one of the arms 9, a plurality of curved fingers 38 are fixed'at one of their ends, the free ends of said fingers being provided with lugs 39. These fingers are of resilient sheet -metal' and the lugs '39 co-acting with the teeth on the respective disks hold said disks against casual rotation. 'lhe'lugs 39 also project upwardly lhrough a slot or opening 40 in the top wall of the casing 5. This opening in the lug may be covered by means of a hinged plate or door 41. The operator in adjusting the disks relative to each other,

makes note of the combination numbers which must be alined with each other in order. to engage the terminals of the spring pressed plate 23 on the centl'al'disk with the contact pins of the other disks 14: and 19. The several disks are sufficiently tight upon their respective tubular shafts or spindles that whcnsaid shafts are rotated by a turning movement of the heads 13, 20 01"21, the disks will also be rotated.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction and manner of operation of the device will he clearly and fully under:

stood. l l hen the intermediate disk 16 has been rotated to the proper posltion with res ect to the other disks to cn 'a 'e the ends of the plate 24 with the contacts or the lat-- several heads 13, 20 and 21, thereby destroying the combination, and it will be manifest that the circuits cannot be agaln closed through the switch by one having no knoWledge of the key to the combination. The device as a whole is relat vely simple in its construction and the combination required to render the switch operative may be easily and quickly changed at any time. The device may also be produced at small manufacturing cost and is highly serviceable and convenient when employed in connection with motor vehicles.

the preferred construction and arrangement of the several elements, it is 'to be understood that the device issusceptible of considerable modification and I, therefore, reserve the privilege of adopting all such legit imate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

While I have herein shown and described" Having thus fully described my invention,

what I deslre to claim and secure by Letters" Patent is:

1. A-svvitch of the character described including a series of relatively rotatable disks of insulating material, one of said disks be. ing slotted, a circuit closing plate pivotally mounted centrally in the slot, a contact pin fixed in each of the adjacent disks, a spring co-actingwith said plate to urge the ex' tremities thereof into frictional engagement with .the respective last named disks, a relatively stationary circuit closing plate adapted to be engaged bythe contact in one of the latter disks, a ground Wire connected to said plate, a circuit closing plate to engage the contact in the other of the latter disks, and means for relatively rotating the disks to predetermined positions to close the circuit. I

2. A switch of the character described including a series of relatively rotatable disks of insulating materiahone of said disks being slotted, a circuit closing plate pivotally mounted centrally in the slot, a contact pin fixed in each of the adjacent disks, a spring co-acting with said plate to urge the extremities thereof into frictional engagement with the respective last named disks, a relatively stationary circuit closing plate adapted to he engaged by the contact in one of the lattcr disks, a ground Wire connected to said plate, an independently rotatable disk, spaced circuit closing members carried by said disk, either of which may be. engaged with the contact" on the other of the second named disks by the rotation of the latter diskto a predetermined position, and means for rotating the first and second named disks 5 to predetermined positions to close the circuit. V

3.- A switch of the character described includin a series of relatively rotatable disks of insu ating material, one of said disks being slotted, a circuit closing plate pivotally mounted centrally in the slot, a contact pin fixed in each of the adjacent disks, a spring co-a'cting with said plate to urge the extremities thereof into frictional engagement with the respective last named" disks, a relatively stationary circuit closing plate adapted to beengaged by the contact in'one of the latter'disks, a ground wire connected to said plate, an independently rotatable disk, spaced-circuit closing members carried by said disk, either of which may be engaged with the contact on the other of the second named disks by the rotation of the latter disk to a predetermined position, means for rbtating the first and second named" disks to predetermined positions to close the circuit, and means (Jo-acting with the periphery oh the same of the latter disks to hold e casual rotation. f

switch of the character described ina series of relatively rotatable disks of insulating material, one of said disks being slotted, a circuit closingplate. pivotally mounted centrally in the slot, a contact pin fixed in each of the adjacent disks, a spring co-acting with said plate to urge the extremities thereof into frictional engagement with the respective last named disks, a relatively stationary circuit closing plate adapted to be engaged by the contact in one of the latter disks, a ground wireconnectedto said plate, an independently rotatable disk, spaced circuit closing members carried by said disk, either of which may be engaged with the contact on the other of the second named disks by .the rotation of'the latter disk to a predetermined position, means for rotating the first and second named disks to predetermined positions to close the circuit, each of the latter disks being provided with peripheral teeth having'indicative characters thereon, and resilient fin ers' provided with terminal lugs to co-act with the teeth of the respective disks and hold the same against casual rotation,

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two WitIiBSSEtEi.

SAMUEL WARD 

